


Christmas Time at Hogwarts

by OccamsWriter



Series: The Wayward Kids [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:22:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22271779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OccamsWriter/pseuds/OccamsWriter
Summary: Hogwarts is slowly reconstructing and reapplying the enchantments and defenses that were enacted during the Battle of Hogwarts. Neville, now apprentice to Herbology Professor Pomona Sprout returns hold from a field research trip to the Black Forest in Germany with several sacks full of cutting and samples to restock both the Greenhouses and the Potion storerooms at Hogwarts. Tired and injured he dozes by the fire almost asleep when a knock comes at the door.
Relationships: Fay Dunbar/Neville Longbottom
Series: The Wayward Kids [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1603159
Kudos: 1





	Christmas Time at Hogwarts

“I’m just glad Hagrid bought me this dragon-hide cloak.” Neville hung it by the door. “Incendio.” Blue flames flash from his wand igniting the logs the hearth as he fell into an armchair. The wind was battering the outside of his small Hogsmeade cottage as he heard a latch break.

“It sure is Christmas at Hogwarts,” pointed his wand at the window as it swung closed as the window continued rattling the window panes. Ignoring the whistling sneaking through the cracks in the door he closed his eyes before he heard a thud coming from the door. “I just want some time alone,” grumbling he walked to the door where a raven haired girl stood in a sweater and jacket.

“I thought you might want some hot cocoa,” Fay announced, both hands wrapped around a metal thermos. Her jacket had a large fur lined hood and collar. “May I come in?”

Neville nodded his head limply stepping out of the way. He watched her walk in tapping her boots on his front mat and removing her jacket to reveal a thick crocheted turtleneck sweater underneath.

“You can sit back down. I’ll bring it to you.” Neville ambled back to his chair again levitating a couple more logs onto the fire hearing her search his cabinets for a couple of mugs. “How was your trip? There’s not much room in Transfiguration for field research unless I want to duel McGonagall or Flitwick. Or become an Auror.”

He glanced down at the wound on his arm covering it with a quilt his Gran sent him for Christmas. “It was fruitful.” He made a fist to avoid picking at it. Even with his supply of Dittany, it was still healing and he worried that whatever Hagrid had found had something extra in its claws. Neville flicked his wand as his samples began to float toward his work station. “I’m glad Harry agreed to come along.”

“Harry?” Fay turned around almost dropping the second mug she had just pulled down from Neville’s cupboard. “Doesn’t he have Auror training or something? How did he manage a week long excursion to the Black Forest.”

Neville didn’t pretend to know how Robards and Harry ran the program but he assumed that if Harry asked Robards for some time off that he was willing to oblige, “I sure he got it all cleared. You know Harry. If it wasn’t cleared he wouldn’t of come.” Neville didn’t know how much Fay actually knew about Harry as a person.

“I’m sure you’re right.” Fay poured each of them a cup staring at the quilt he was holding over his arm. “It looks like the trip back almost killed you.”

Neville shifted the blanket to cover his torso as he reached for his cup. “How was your holiday?”

She leaned against the arm of the couch, “McGonagall started showing me a few advanced spells that she wouldn’t usually cover in the apprenticeship.” Fay gave a sweet smile, something about the advanced magic training made her feel closer to Neville. “She says I’m progressing well but grading the exams is killing me.”

Neville chortled feeling his hand growing warmer wrapped around the cocoa, “That sounds like McGonagall. When we weren’t studying the Animagus process she threw everything she could at me.” He took a drink of his cocoa. “Not many witches or wizards could keep up with her one-on-one lessons.” He smiled, he wanted it to sound like a compliment watching her smile grow at his words. “Thanks for the cocoa.”

She pulled her hair back behind her ear. “I saw you walking in, from McGonagall’s front window.” Her face flushed matching the shade of her sweater. “You looked like you could use it.”

“You were watching me?” Neville blurted out as Fay’s smile dissolved into dread as he saw her searching for some explanation. “Don’t do that.” She averted her eyes.

“What?” She was looking straight into the flames of the fire levitating a fresh log into it.

“Sometimes my brain and my mouth don’t line up. I’m glad that you brought me hot cocoa and it’s not like I announced when I was coming back. Sprout gave me extended leave if I needed it on the back end.” He waited for her to stow her wand.

Fay felt her heart beating in her throat looking towards her jacket hanging up next to his. She thought of the girls fawning over him as they passed him in the corridors. “It’s okay, I just didn’t know if you needed anything. I know I don’t want to do anything after a long trip.” She kept staring at the fire watching the flames crackle over the dry wood.

Neville stood up crossing the room to rest next to her on the couch, “Fay, I appreciate you.” He felt his arm moving on its own as it came to rest on her hand, recoiling as her hand tensed.

“You didn’t have to move.” She reached over and grasped at the hand he was now holding against his chest. They were rougher that she had imagined but he’d been working with his hands and probably running around Germany as a wolf as well, did calluses work that way when you're an Animagus? She intertwined her fingers between his grasping at his palm. They were warm enough now.

Neville didn’t want to speak again but his brain was banging against his skull, “Is everything alright then?” He watched her nod bringing his hand up to her face as he turned his hand to hold her face. He could feel his heart jump into his throat as he took a deep breath. Something inside he was pulling his body towards her. His hand moved to the back of her neck pulling her toward him all he could picture as he closed his eyes was her soft lips.


End file.
